


built castles from sand

by karasunonolibero



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fairy Tale Style, Fantasy elements, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-26
Updated: 2019-09-26
Packaged: 2020-10-27 22:57:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20768339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karasunonolibero/pseuds/karasunonolibero
Summary: The snake rose higher, its body stretching longer until its yellow eyes stared Sawamura in the face. “I offer you a choice,” it hissed, drawing out the last word. “Daishou can grant you one of two things. He can give you the power to destroy the other kings and take the throne for yourself. For Karasuno. Or he can give you something more personal.” The snake’s head came close to his ear, as though whispering a secret. “The laws of the valley won’t allow you to marry a commoner. Much less him. But he can make that happen.”Sawamura was suspicious, for the snake hadn’t mentioned a price and it was extremely rare for a god to offer such favors to mortals and ask nothing at all in return. “Must I choose?”“You must, and only one. Love or power, Sawamura? Which is more important to you? Which will make you happy?”~or, Sawamura is promised the power to conquer the Nine Kingdoms, but forgets that power comes at a price.





	built castles from sand

**Author's Note:**

> so i wanted to try a different narrative style and just do something new, and i was inspired by the stories i heard when i was on vacation in ireland earlier this month (there's a totally unsubtle reference to the rock of cashel) so then this happened and i'm kind of really proud of it! i really like how it came out, so i hope you enjoy it.
> 
> title comes from [sandcastle kingdoms by natewantstobattle](https://youtu.be/rQHFfVZcxho)

The valley was lush, green and fertile, and stretched for miles and miles in every direction. Bordering the valley were two mountain ranges so tall that no one had ever seen the peaks, for they rose so high they got lost in the clouds. And in this valley were the Nine Kingdoms: Karasuno, Aoba Johsai, Dateko, Shiratorizawa, Johzenji, Nekoma, Fukurodani, Inarizaki, and Kamomedai. The kingdoms formed a circle around a central sacred mound called the Rock of Spring, named so for the vibrant blooms that its trees and flowers produced every year after the last snow melted.

Long ago, it could be said that the Nine Kingdoms lived in cooperative peace. But for hundreds of years, the nine kings had been tangled in a power struggle for control of the entire valley. The first to take over the Rock of Spring, the powerful King Ukai Ikkei of Karasuno, built a stone castle atop the mound, extending his power throughout the valley and leaving the other kings to oversee their kingdoms with diminished power, all subject to Ukai’s laws. Ten short years later, he was overthrown by King Nekomata Yasufumi of Nekoma, who tore down Ukai’s castle and built his own, along with a temple. Thus began a power struggle for control of the valley that would last for seven hundred years. No king managed to hold onto the throne for more than two, perhaps three generations, before he was overthrown and another king rose to power. And with each new king came destruction of the old buildings and erection of new ones; over time, the Rock became littered with the ruins of castles and statues from the kings before.

When our story begins, the current high king of the valley was from the Kingdom of Shiratorizawa, an old man named Washijo Tanji who had fallen deathly ill. It was only a matter of time before he died, leaving the seat empty and up for the taking. The clans were growing restless, and surely one of them thought to just assassinate the old man for the claim, but if anyone did, nobody acted.

Sawamura Daichi was the current king of Karasuno, and he ruled his kingdom with a firm but fair hand, often disobeying orders from Washijo and acting for the good of his people when he could get away with it. He had heard whispers of Aoba Johsai’s king, Oikawa Tooru, planning to make a move for the throne—though all nine kingdoms were at odds with one another, Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa had an age-old feud from even before the power struggles for the valley began. Oikawa simply couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wrest power from his rivals.

With each day that dawned without news of Washijo’s passing, Sawamura grew more and more worried. His advisor Ennoshita suggested he go for a walk early in the morning to clear his mind before starting the day, and he accepted. Soon, his morning walks around the grounds became part of his routine, and did wonders for his anxiety.

One cloudy, grey morning, Sawamura’s walk was disturbed by a snake slithering out from behind a rock. Caught unawares, Sawamura raised his sword and shouted, “Come no further, vermin. You are not welcome in my gardens.”

The snake hissed and rose upwards like a cobra, moving closer. “I am no vermin,” it said to him. “I am a servant of the god Daishou.”

Upon hearing this Sawamura lowered his weapon. A visit from the god of deception and chance was a confusing sign, to say the least, and could either bring great fortune or ruin to his kingdom. He decided to hear the snake out. “What have I done to receive a visit from the god? What brings you to my garden?”

“Opportunity.” The snake’s tongue darted out, and it appeared as though it were smiling, in a cold reptilian way. “Washijo is as good as dead. He won’t live to see the end of the week. Do you think you’re prepared to fight for the throne, with Karasuno in its current state?”

Sawamura hesitated. His army was far from the strongest in the valley. It had been several generations since a king from Karasuno controlled the Rock; their glory days were a thing of the past, and he knew that the other kingdoms had long since stopped seeing them as a threat. But he swallowed the uncertainty and answered the serpent with a question of his own. “What opportunity do you speak of?”

The snake rose higher, its body stretching longer until its yellow eyes stared Sawamura in the face. “I offer you a choice,” it hissed, drawing out the last word. “Daishou can grant you one of two things. He can give you the power to destroy the other kings and take the throne for yourself. For Karasuno. Or he can give you something more personal.” The snake’s head came close to his ear, as though whispering a secret. “The laws of the valley won’t allow you to marry a commoner. Much less _him_. But he can make that happen.”

Sawamura was suspicious, for the snake hadn’t mentioned a price and it was extremely rare for a god to offer such favors to mortals and ask nothing at all in return. “Must I choose?”

“You must, and only one. Love or power, Sawamura? Which is more important to you? Which will make you happy?”

His thoughts flashed to the man the snake spoke of—the beautiful, brilliant scribe named Sugawara Koushi, with hair the color of moonlight on the river and eyes as captivating as comets streaking across the sky. And then he thought of his people, the upstanding, hardworking citizens of Karasuno, who didn’t deserve to chafe under the rule of another king who didn’t know them. He knew what would make _him_ happy, but part of being a king was sacrificing that which made him happy so his people wouldn’t have to. With that in mind, he made his choice.

“I choose power,” he told the snake, who hissed and nodded at his decision.

“Understood. Go, alone, to the Rock of Spring at dusk in eight days’ time. There, the power will be revealed to you.” The snake dipped, as though bowing, and then dropped to the ground and slithered away before Sawamura could respond.

It was a gamble, of course. Everything concerning Daishou was. But, Sawamura thought, as he looked over the parapets of his castle at the town beginning to wake up, if it did turn out to be nothing more than one of the god’s infamous games, at least he could say he did it for his people.

After finishing breakfast that morning, a young page named Hinata scurried into the dining room. “Sawamura-sama! Sugawara-san has news for you and he’s asked you to meet him in the first-floor study.”

Sawamura coughed to hide his surprise—of course business led him to Sugawara barely an hour after the offer was made. It was too much to hope that it was mere coincidence. “Tell him I’ll meet with him shortly,” Sawamura said; Hinata ran off to convey the message, and the king turned to his advisor. “Do you know anything about this?”

“No, Sawamura-sama.” Ennoshita’s face was a mask of confusion. “But it must be urgent. He never asks to meet with you like this.”

Sawamura had an inkling that it was about the ailing high king. The stoic look on Sugawara’s face told him he was right. “Sawamura-sama.” He dipped into a bow as Sawamura entered the study. “I received a message from Terushima-sama today.”

Sawamura couldn’t help but wonder what the King of Johzenji wanted now. The last three times they’d met, Terushima had made his attraction rather obvious, only for Sawamura to rebuff his advances. “Please respond to him and tell him, for the second time, that I cannot attend his banquet.”

“It’s not about the banquet,” Sugawara said. “It’s a warning.”

“About what?”

“Here.” Sugawara held a scroll out to him; Sawamura unfurled it, reading the unkempt scrawl of Johzenji’s king.

_Sawamura-sama,_

_I would have preferred to deliver this message in person, but as you know, it’s a dangerous time. I won’t waste words: several of my scouts in the west have gotten wind of a plot by Ushijima-sama of Shiratorizawa. He knows Oikawa-sama plans on making an effort to claim the throne plans to consolidate support and turn the other kingdoms against him. How, I don’t know. But knowing Ushijima, he will most likely try to use force. _

_I’ve sent letters out to every kingdom. I know tensions are likely to be high with the throne due to become empty any day now, but I wanted to warn you. Perhaps we can work out an alliance of our own._

_– Terushima of Johzenji._

Sawamura looked up. “He wants an alliance.”

“What should I tell him?”

One corner of Sawamura’s mouth quirked up in a humorless smile. “Karasuno has no need for an alliance,” he stated, slowly and clearly. The words of the snake messenger echoed in his ears—he’d be guaranteed the throne. He didn’t need Terushima or any of the other kings.

Sugawara shifted in place. “Are you certain?” he asked, his voice quiet.

“Are you questioning my authority?” Sawamura’s voice rose in a dangerous question.

“No, Sawamura-sama! I’m sorry, that’s not what I intended.” Blushing pink to the tips of his ears, Sugawara bowed again, his head lowered. “I was only concerned. Shiratorizawa has a strong military, and a larger one than we do, and I’m only saying that an alliance might not be the worst thing.”

“And then what happens after? Suppose the eight of us join forces and defeat Shiratorizawa. Then the Rock will still be up for the taking, and someone will have to sit there. We’ll end up fighting each other anyway.” Sawamura looked at Sugawara, who was frowning now, teeth worrying at his lower lip.

“I’ll send the message, Sawamura-sama. Thank you for meeting with me. Excuse me.” His mind seemingly made up, Sugawara bowed a third time, silver hair falling in front of his face as he did so, and then dashed off. Sawamura watched him leave, letting his gaze linger over the man for just a second before diverting his stare. There was no sense pining over what he can’t have. But perhaps, he thought as he turned around and swept from the room, when he became the high king, perhaps he could change the laws in his favor. Love _and_ power. Who was to say he couldn’t have both?

~

Contrary to Terushima’s warning, Shiratorizawa did not arrive at Karasuno’s doorstep. In fact, Ushijima was shockingly quiet. There were no more rumors of force and no communication between the kingdoms at all. The entire valley seemed to be holding a collective breath, waiting for the day Washijo finally stopped clinging to this life.

Sawamura, however, was calm. As his date of approaching the Rock grew closer, he relaxed, confident that the god would deliver on his promise—or that Sawamura could successfully trick him into it. Conversely, Sugawara grew more and more visibly agitated by the day, and on the third day since receiving Terushima’s letter, he asked Sawamura if he could join his morning stroll. Surprised, Sawamura allowed it under the guise of wanting company. It wasn’t a complete lie—however Sugawara’s company was much preferred to, say, Hinata’s.

The first morning, they walked in silence, only exchanging a few words when necessary. Sawamura used the opportunity to stare; surely, Sugawara knew of his interest, but his scribe never said a word. By the third morning, they were talking, and by the fourth, Sawamura had discovered the intoxicating magic of making Sugawara laugh. Every day, as he passed the rock where the snake had appeared to him, he spent an extra second staring at it, as though he might appear again. Sugawara surely noticed, but kept quiet.

On the morning he was to arrive at the Rock, Sawamura awoke to the news that Washijo had finally expired. He got out of bed feeling particularly confident, excitement curling in his chest and adding an extra spring to his step. He would reclaim the Rock for Karasuno once more, and once his power was consolidated, he would change the laws of the valley so he could take Sugawara as his consort.

With that in mind, he took extra care in dressing himself that morning. He even went so far as to have Hinata bring him the golden circlet from the treasury—the circlet that Karasuno’s royalty used for marriage proposals. After placing it on his head, he plucked a rose from a vase on his way out to the gardens, where Sugawara stood waiting for him in his usual place. He smiled, bright like the sun despite the clouds lingering over the valley, and Sawamura decided to tell him.

“Sugawara. I have news,” he said, approaching his scribe.

Sugawara’s eyes drifted to the orange rose in his hands, but he made no note of it. “Good news, I hope?”

“Good news, indeed. Shall we?” As they strolled down one of the garden paths, Sawamura told him what had transpired with Daishou’s messenger and what was to happen that night. “This time tomorrow morning, I’ll be the high king of the valley. Karasuno’s glory will be restored. Isn’t that wonderful?”

He turned to Sugawara, unable to contain his smile. “In anticipation of that, I have something to ask you.”

Sugawara’s face was stoic; the only outward indication that he’d been listening at all was a slightly raised eyebrow. “What is it?”

Sawamura stood facing him and placed the rose in Sugawara’s hand, both of their fingers curling around the stem. “Your beauty is unmatched by any in the kingdom, perhaps even in the entire valley,” he began. “And I must confess that I am only human, another mere mortal ensnared by your brilliance to fall hopelessly in love with you.”

“Sawamura-sama…” Sugawara’s expression finally changed to one of complete and utter shock as he held the rose to his chest. “I…I’m very flattered, but I’m afraid I don’t know what to say…”

“Answer me this.” Sawamura took a deep breath, lifted the gold circlet from his head, and placed it on Sugawara’s brow. It looked perfect there, as though it had been wrought especially for him, the gold a stunning contrast against the silver of his hair. “Will you marry me, Sugawara?”

The moments ticked by with aching slowness. Sugawara, a man who always knew the right words for speeches and letters, seemed to be at a loss for them now, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. “Sugawara?” Sawamura prompted him, and that seemed to bring him back to earth.

“I—Sawamura-sama, we can’t,” he whispered, eyes darting side to side as though looking for eavesdroppers. “I’m a commoner, and a _man_, there’s no way I could.”

“But there is.” Sawamura gripped one of his hands in both of his own. “When I’m high king, I can change those laws. I’ll get the support of the others and change them. I know Bokuto-sama and Kuroo-sama will support me, and the others won’t be hard to convince. I love you, Sugawara, and I’ll stop at nothing to make you mine.”

“I…” Sugawara’s cheeks were dusted with a bright red blush, and he looked away, but didn’t remove his hand from Sawamura’s. “I suppose I’ve not been subtle about my feelings toward you, either. I’m sure you’ve noticed how nervous I am when we’re in a room together.”

Sawamura’s heart felt like it grew wings and took to the skies. “You’re in love with me, too?”

“I am. I have been for a long time.” Sugawara looked back at him, eyes soft. “But I kept it to myself, because I knew we couldn’t be together.”

“That’s about to change, Sugawara.” Sawamura lifted his gaze and looked eastward, where, through the mist, he saw the Rock and the towers of the castle upon it. A castle that was now empty, waiting for him to come and claim it. “It’s all about to change.”

~

Sawamura left for the Rock an hour before dusk, riding through the streets of town and stirring up questions in his wake. The people whispered amongst themselves, wondering why their king left for the newly abandoned Rock with not even a single guard. Perhaps he had the blessing of their guardian deity, they said. Perhaps it was time for the Karasuno name to be restored to its former glory.

The steep, sloping hills of the Rock rose in front of him as he neared, the iron gates that Washijo installed decades ago now creaking open. He took the path through the gates and up to the castle, wondering where he was to meet the god. After tethering his horse to a post, he wandered busied himself wandering the silent grounds, counting the eagles he sees carved in stone and standard atop pillars.

The sound of hoofbeats drew his attention back to the path. Was this the god? The sun was still too high above the mountains for dusk to settle yet.

Instead, up rode King Bokuto of Fukurodani, wearing an ostentatious feathered cape in the white, black, and gold of his kingdom’s crest. “Sawamura-sama! How curious to find you here.” The king waved and dismounted with a flashy jump.

“I could say the same for you, Bokuto-sama.” Sawamura inclined his head in greeting. The king of Fukurodani was always outwardly friendly, but Sawamura often wondered what was under that jovial exterior. “What brings you to the Rock?”

“Ah…nothing of importance.” Bokuto cut himself off there, busying himself by feeding his horse a carrot. An uneasy silence blanketed the Rock; Sawamura turned away, figuring Bokuto would explain his reasoning soon enough.

But before the explanation came, they were joined by Kuroo of Nekoma. Then Terushima of Johzenji, and Kita of Inarizaki, and Suwa of Kamomedai—and just before dusk, the final king arrived.

The nine rulers stood in a circle, looking at each other in confusion. Moniwa of Dateko was the first to speak.

“So,” he began, “why have we all gathered here?”

“I was unaware you all would be here,” said Kuroo. “I was told to be here at dusk.”

“Me too,” said the rest of the kings in unison.

Kuroo’s eyes narrowed, and in that moment, he looked every bit the cat that adorned Nekoma’s banners. “Why would we all be here at the same time?”

Sawamura hesitated, wary of revealing his reason. This time it was Kita who broke the tense silence.

“Last week, I was visited by a serpent late at night who said he was a servant of Daishou. He offered me a choice: power or my war strategist’s hand in marriage.”

Sawamura’s blood turned to ice in his veins as he realized why they were all here. “Were all of us visited by the serpent?” he asked, looking around as each king nodded his assent.

Oikawa narrowed his eyes. “And we all were given the choice between power or love?”

“And we all chose power,” Suwa added.

“You all chose power,” a familiar voice hissed. Sawamura’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword; he noticed Kuroo reach for the crossbow on his back and the other captains similarly preparing for a fight.

In the middle of the circle flashed a green light, and with an explosion loud enough for all nine kingdoms to hear, a man appeared. He looked no older than the rest of them, but the golden trim on his green robe was enough for Sawamura to recognize the figure in front of him. Immediately, he dropped to a knee, and across the circle, saw Suwa, Bokuto, Kita, and Moniwa do the same.

Sawamura didn’t dare look up from the ground as the man began to chuckle. “You mortals never change,” he sneered. “Look at you. Look at yourselves. Foolish, pitiful little things you are. Get up and stop groveling.”

Kuroo’s arms were crossed as he addressed the man. “Daishou-sama, you’ve come at last.”

Daishou bent at the waist, the bow dripping with mockery. “At your service, Kuroo-kun. Now, I believe I sent my servant to all of you, did I not?”

“Yes, you did,” Kita piped up.

“And my servant gave you all a choice.” Daishou walked around the circle like a teacher looking for an unaware student to call on; he stopped in front of Sawamura. “What was that choice, Sawamura?”

Sawamura swallowed, not wanting the god to see his fear. “Love or power.”

“Love or power. What an interesting choice,” Daishou mused, stepping away and pacing around the circle in search of another target. “Influence or emotion. Happiness or control. And you are all here because you chose the same thing.” The god stopped his pacing to motion grandly at the castle behind them. “Power! You all want it. And what for? Controlling your own kingdom isn’t enough? You need to control everyone else’s too?”

“Bold words for a god who seems to entertain himself playing with mortals like a cat batting a mouse between its paws,” Kuroo was bold enough to say. Sawamura held his breath—surely a retort like that would get him struck down on the spot.

But Daishou just laughed. “You said it yourself. I’m a _god_. I _can_ play with you. Why do you humans always need to try to rise above each other? You’re all just shortsighted little mortals out for your own desires.”

“If we were out for our own desires, we’d all have chosen love,” Sawamura said. “We chose power to help our people.”

“You can say that all you want, little crow. But answer me this: if you pack up all your pretty shiny things and build a new castle for yourself here on the Rock and leave your people where they are, whose situation is better? Whose changes? Don’t fool yourselves any more than you already have. Power is a selfish objective.” Daishou scoffed, punching an eagle relief carved into one of the exterior castle walls to shatter it. “Now. What would you say if I told you all that each of you had the power to win this pile of grass for yourselves all along?”

“That’s impossible,” Ushijima said. “None of our armies—”

“Armies, soldiers, pft.” Daishou stared at him. “Forget them. You have the power. Come on, think, you little mammals.”

“What would be stronger than an army?”

“A wall, for one,” Moniwa said, glaring at Shiratorizawa’s king. “Dateko’s Iron Wall is the strongest in the valley.”

Oikawa’s impatience was clear as he answered, “Must you bring that up yet again? We’ve all heard the stories.”

“It’s the truth.”

Silence descended on the Rock yet again. Daishou sneered, clearly starting to reach the end of his patience. “You pathetic little humans. Of course none of you have the wisdom to realize what’s right in front of you.”

“Wisdom! It’s wisdom itself,” Sawamura exclaimed, only for the trickster god to sneer at him.

“No, though you all could use some.” Daishou paused to look each and every one of them in the eye before finally giving the answer. “Each of you has, in your court, a single person with the cleverness and resourcefulness to help you take the Rock. Perhaps yours is an advisor, or a knight, or a general, or a scribe.”

A scribe. Sawamura’s jaw dropped as his thoughts turned to Sugawara; his surprise was mirrored on the faces of the other eight kings. “You lied,” Sawamura said flatly.

“I never lied. Think about what my servant said to you. He said to come to the Rock and the power would be revealed to you. I just revealed the power to you.”

“Then if we already had that power, why do this? Why play this game?” Kuroo demanded.

“Why does anyone play a game? For fun.” Daishou’s grin was wicked, devoid of all amusement. “So. Now that you know you all have the power, what are you going to do about it?”

After a beat of silence, Sawamura strode over to his horse, mounting it with one smooth motion. “We will settle this as the kings before us did.”

“I agree,” Ushijima said, and Oikawa voiced his assent.

Daishou sighed, leaning against one of the pillars. “Then go. You’ve bored me. Humans never fail to bore me. You always choose the same things, always choose power and fleeting gratification over love. But fine. Go back to your wise ones. Go back to your warlike ways. But take it from me. Failing to see what’s right in front of you will end you all someday.”

And with that, the god of deception blinked out of sight in a puff of yellow and green mist. When the smoke cleared, the nine kings were left on the Rock, staring at each other as though wondering if they’d all just imagined the god’s appearance.

“Well,” Kuroo said, casually twirling an ornate silver dagger around his hand, “we _could_ fight later after we’ve all consulted and talked and met, or we could finish this here and now.”

“Another day.” Sawamura wasn’t about to stand around and have a battle royale with the nine of them—he dug his heels into his horse’s side and took off for the Karasuno castle like a wildfire was nipping at his heels.

The townspeople all turned to stare as he rode through the streets, wondering at their king’s sudden reappearance. Had he claimed the Rock? Surely if he had, he’d have returned with much more fanfare and less single-minded haste?

Sawamura headed directly for the castle, leaving his horse with the stable boy and dashing into the study. “Sugawara?” His desk looked like he’d vacated it not long ago, quill resting in the inkwell and pages neatly stacked.

Ennoshita came running in. “Sawamura-sama, is something wrong?”

“Where is Sugawara?” His voice was demanding, bordering on hysterical almost, a tone he’d never used before with his court.

“Ah…he fell ill suddenly.” Ennoshita clasped his hands together nervously. “He’s been taken to his chamber. Yamaguchi is with him now.”

“I need to see him.”

“Right away, Sawamura-sama.” Ennoshita bowed and led Sawamura toward his scribe’s quarters. He had never been in this part of the castle before, never having any business here prior to this, but—this would be the first and last time he set foot in this wing, for once Sugawara and he were married, they would move into the royal wing. With that bright thought in mind, he urged Ennoshita to go faster. When they opened the door, the sight that greeted him was straight out of Sawamura’s nightmares.

Sugawara was deathly pale, even paler than usual, his cheeks sunken and hands shaking in Yamaguchi’s grasp. The circlet drooped on his head, still golden in the light of the room’s single candle.

“Sugawara!” The king ran to the bedside, taking a knee next to Yamaguchi. “What happened?”

“I’m not sure, Sawamura-sama.” Yamaguchi inclined his head, one hand moving to Sugawara’s forehead. “One moment he was fine, writing at his desk, and the next he was complaining of a fever. He stood up and immediately collapsed, so I was called in.”

“When did this happen?”

“About an hour ago.”

An hour ago. Right around Daishou’s appearance on the Rock.

Sawamura reached out, the backs of his fingers touching Sugawara’s forehead. The skin was burning hot, and stung like a stove when he touched him.

Sugawara frowned and let out a small moan of discomfort. “Sawamura-sama?” His eyes fluttered open, but he seemed to be looking through Sawamura rather than at him.

“Yes, yes, I’m here.” He combed his fingers through the silver locks, giving Yamaguchi a look of confusion and panic.

Sugawara gave a light, almost dainty, cough. “I’m sorry,” he said, reaching out for Sawamura’s hand.

“Shh. You have nothing to apologize for.”

“I’m sorry we won’t have the chance, my love.” The words left Sugawara’s lips in a whisper, and then he went still on the bed.

“Sugawara?” Sawamura squeezed his hand, looking for a response. “Sugawara?”

Yamaguchi placed a hand over Sugawara’s chest, hesitated a moment, and frowned. “I’m sorry. He’s gone.”

“He’s what?” No, Sugawara couldn’t be gone. _How could that be possible?_ the king wondered as Yamaguchi closed Sugawara’s eyes and pulled up the linens to cover his body. Not twelve hours ago, they had been walking in the gardens together. Not twelve hours ago, he had sworn to make Sugawara his, no matter what he had to do…and now, Sugawara could never be his.

The king stood, looking around for Ennoshita, who balked under his glare. “Yes, Sawamura-sama?”

“Give him a proper burial,” Sawamura ordered, careful to keep his voice steady so they wouldn’t see his heart breaking. “Honor him with the rites for a king’s consort. And send word to the other kingdoms.”

In the weeks that followed, similarly sad news poured in from the other kingdoms. Oikawa’s personal knight, a strong and handsome man by the name of Iwaizumi Hajime, had died suddenly, as had Bokuto’s advisor, Akaashi Keiji. Suwa and Ushijima lost their lead generals. Kozume Kenma, the legendary yet elusive Brain of Nekoma, was mentioned in the death toll as well; Sawamura found out later that he was Kuroo’s right-hand man and trusted childhood friend. No king was spared—all of them suffered great losses. However, the pieces weren’t put together until nearly three weeks later, after the death of Miya Atsumu, a shrewd battle strategist from Inarizaki.

The nine kings decided to meet for a peaceful discussion at the Johzenji palace, chosen for their track record of inter-kingdom neutrality. Sawamura was hesitant at first but Ennoshita encouraged him to attend, and so he arrived by carriage as the sun hit its peak in the sky.

The mood inside the banquet hall was dull, tense, all of the kings still feeling their losses too keenly to make much conversation as they ate. Sawamura found himself between a strangely stoic Bokuto and an Oikawa who smiled too carefully. The losses, it seemed, had taken quite a toll on the leaders of the valley.

Once the plates from the final course were taken away, Terushima stood, commanding attention from the others. “Thank you for coming today. It was my pleasure to host,” he said, his voice absent of the brash, lively edge it usually held. It was unnerving. “I would like to extend my condolences to you all. Each and every one of us lost a dear friend and a valued member of our inner circle.”

Oikawa began to snicker, the sound bitter as it echoed in the dining hall. “A dear friend,” he said with a very unkingly scoff. “You don’t know who Haji—Iwaizumi was to me.” The use of the knight’s given name did not escape Sawamura, and from the glances exchanged around the table, the others had picked up on it as well.

Kuroo was next to speak. “I believe I understand,” he said slowly. “Kozume and I were close for many, many years.”

“Ah.” Kita’s voice was quiet but steady as he looked round the table. “I believe I understand as well. Are you all…with your…” The question hung in the air, waiting for the first answer to break the dam.

Oikawa was first. “Yes,” he admitted, sitting back in his chair and staring very hard at the empty place setting in front of him. Bokuto was next to voice his affirmative, then Kuroo. Sawamura followed hesitantly, but with each new ‘yes,’ the anxious mood at the table started to lift. Even Ushijima nodded in agreement.

“We’ve all lost lovers,” Terushima murmured, eyes sad as he looked around the table. “Now, if I may…were these the lovers we all chose power over?”

And with those words, Sawamura realized what had happened. The trickster god, the lord of deception…he had taken what he offered, had denied them of both. “There was no power without the ones we loved,” he realized aloud. Oikawa cursed under his breath, taking the sort of deep breath that’s taken to hold back tears.

“Perhaps love _was_ the power,” Bokuto said, his voice hollow.

The ground shook just then, the crystals in the chandelier clinking and chairs rattling. The wine glasses tipped over and spilled, staining the white tablecloths red.

“Terushima-sama!” A pageboy ran in, arms flapping frantically. “The Rock!”

The nine kings rushed to the southern window and watched as, right before their eyes, the ruins on the Rock collapsed. Enormous chunks of stone tumbled down the hill, relics from yesterday and years ago undone in an instant. And then…then the Rock itself began to sink, as though it was being pulled into the ground. The sound of falling rock and rumbling thunder filled the air, clouds of dust and earth obscuring the hill.

“What is happening?” Kita whispered. No one answered.

Then, as suddenly as it began, everything stopped. The earth stopped shaking, the dust settled, and it was quiet once more. Where the Rock once stood, rising proud and tall above the kingdoms, was now nothing more than a flat expanse of raw dirt, as though it had never been there at all.

“The Rock is gone,” Moniwa gasped. “Just like that.”

The Rock of Spring had ceased to exist, and with it, the throne that so many kings laid claim to and so much blood was shed for. The throne they had all lost lovers for. The nine kings took a blood oath right then and there, swearing that never again would one king attempt to control the others.

The sudden pact was never explained to the people of the valley. They knew of the deaths, but not that the deaths were a result of a vengeful god and the struggle for the throne. They cried and mourned along with their kings.

The land where the Rock once was became neutral ground, used for inter-kingdom meetings, celebrations, and gatherings. Dateko’s Iron Wall came down, Karasuno’s bandits stopped targeting other kingdoms’ merchants, and even Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa laid their feud to rest.

For the first time in seven hundred years, peace reigned in the valley at last.

**Author's Note:**

> as always, thank you for reading! please let me know what you thought in the comments or on tumblr, if you feel so inclined x
> 
> [main blog](http://humhalleloujah.tumblr.com) // [haikyuu!! blog](http://karasunonolibero.tumblr.com)


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